HISTORY is littered with powerful families using their position for advantage. In Italy, the Borgias and the Medicis come to mind. But it is hard to sustain this position over the decades, and even harder over the centuries.

On this island, we have such a family – the British monarchy. (All that follows is historical record. Not, maybe, what you likely read at school.) But real, nonetheless.

And British because that’s how the royals see themselves. And religious too. Not your religion, perhaps, but for centuries wedded to a notion that their place in the society is determined by God.

With this in mind, the English King Henry II, started a process to bring religious orders under state control. At this time a sixth of the male population was in holy orders. Clerics accused of secular crimes were tried in religious courts, avoiding the harsh punishments meted out to ordinary folk. Henry wanted a single judicial system, applicable to everyone, so he issued the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1064, to limit church powers.

This did not go down well and at one point, unsatisfied with a reply from the Pope, he threatened to convert to Islam.

Then there’s Richard I, the so-called Lionheart, who once said that he would sell London if he could find a buyer. Though he failed, London sold out a long time ago. When the bold Richard was captured, the Holy Roman Emperor was paid 150,000 marks for his release. Literally a king’s ransom.

King John fared little better. He was forced to agree Magna Carta, then persuaded Pope Innocent III to have it annulled. In response, the barons invited Louis V111 to invade England. The French occupied London and the Scots got as far as Dover, according to Stephen Bates, author of The Shortest History Of The Crown.

Ever inventive, Henry VIII came up with a new way to extort money. When he broke with Rome, he introduced the Buggery Act, the first secular legislation against gay men. It ordained death for perpetrators and, crucially in its use against monasteries, enabled royal seizure of their property and wealth.

To secure his position Henry also widened the treason law, making it a treasonable act to criticise the king, his wife, or heirs. All males over 14 were forced to swear an oath of allegiance. Amazingly, this obligation still applies for UK public servants, including the military and MPs.

Along came the Stuarts. James VI of Scotland gained the English crown as James I and he was welcomed in London. Less so his fellow countrymen, who were described as “coarse and beggarly”.

Nicholas Fuller MP compared the Scots to “cattle” and claimed they were taking jobs and causing overcrowding.

Another Stuart, Charles I, got himself into such trouble that he ended up surrendering to Parliament but was kidnapped en route to London by the English army to get back pay for soldiers.

In perhaps the first recorded case of double think, he was accused of treason, flouting the law that specified treason was an act against him, not by him.

When the British state ran out of Stuarts, they invited William, a short Dutchman to take the throne. To be fair he did agree a Bill of Rights. This also affected the succession because the Bill of Rights declares: “it inconsistent with the safety of this protestant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince.”

This remains law. The Act of Settlement uniquely bars any Catholic from the throne. Also, a British monarch may not marry a Catholic, while being free to wed a Muslim, Hindu, Jew, or atheist. To be clear, everyone who signs up for support for the monarch and his/her heirs is also endorsing an explicit anti-Catholic principle.

George I turned up, speaking little English, and described as “a blockhead” by Lady Mary Montagu. But he was a protestant.

Sadly, he died from a stroke on his way back to Hanover.

He was succeeded by George II who was reputed “to hate the English”. He also died of a stroke – this time when he was sitting on the toilet.

George III was declared mad as he “lost” the American colonies.

Over time, the British monarchy family worked out a symbiotic deal with politicians. It could be expressed this way: “Despite our formal role as head of state, we will stay out of politics, so long as the public purse generously provides for us.”

In other news, it was announced last week that King Charles III will receive a 45% pay rise when some of his subjects are starving. This is ostensibly to refurbish Buckingham Palace, increasingly replaced by Windsor Palace for state purposes. Quite an achievement.

The TNT show returns on Wednesday. Join us at 7pm to hear from another exciting guest!